ok first off there isn't always an easy solution!! you need to remember that. How long have you been doing this? $500 worth of training isn't an unreasonable amount to buy. Do you eventually want to do it professionally?

The first thing I'd say to you is ask questions all the time!! I never stop asking questions. If i can't figure it out with a couple of tries I start asking around (ok i have 30-40 highly experienced people around me who've done loads of amazing work) but the point still stands. There is no point in you getting frustrated and annoyed with a problem when someone out there may be able to give you a pointer which unlocks the problem for you. I always tell the guys I'm training up to ask me as soon as they're stuck because they're no use to me sitting there trying to figure out a relatively simple problem that can be solved with two clicks.

Break you problems down into smaller chunks and get them right, for example you're foot rig. You should have got that working because your animation really suffers for it. if you're complicated solution doesn't work then screw it use a simple one that does. It's not always a case of trying to be overly clever

Anyways I can't mentor you as I have so many comitments already and i can't offer you that much of my time, sorry. But i am on the boards everyday so feel free to PM and i'll help you where I can or just point me i the direction of your thread and I'll do what I can (animation and rigging are not my specialist areas though )

final point, never give up. Always keep trying it will work in the end



Alan